If you practice yoga at home, consider some yoga supplies. What you need depends on your budget and how serious about yoga you are. Here are some recommendations for home yoga studio supplies at three levels, “Yoga as Cheap as Possible”, “Basic Yoga Supplies”, “Serious About Yoga”
Yoga as Cheap as Possible
- Athletic clothing. Close fitting, but not binding. Find something in your closet already, or on sale at a local store or thrift shop. Socks are not needed; yoga is usually done barefoot.
Blanket. Used for extra padding (under your knees for example) or to keep warm during relaxation poses. You probably already have a blanket.
- Space to practice. Uncluttered, with a nonslip surface and some padding. A yoga mat can provide the last two qualities (see “Basic Yoga Supplies").
- Online yoga videos. See our article on how to learn yoga for free for links to free yoga instructional videos.
Basic Yoga Supplies
- Yoga DVDs. If you don’t want to sit through the advertisements in some of the free online yoga videos, Amazon offers a range of yoga dvds (for example Yoga for Every Body, Yoga for Beginners, Yoga for Stress Relief, Yoga Energy).
- Yoga Mat. This provides the essential nonslip and padded surface. Choose a thicker mat if you want more padding; some mats have no pthalates (a chemical).
- Yoga Block. Yoga blocks make difficult poses easier – like when your hand is supposed to reach the floor, but isn’t quite there yet. Rest your hand on a yoga block to keep the right alignment and build strength correctly. These cork blocks are natural (non-plastic), sustainable, and have great reviews.
- Strap. A strap also assists some yoga poses. For example when you are in seated forward bend and can’t quite reach your feet, using a yoga strap around your feet allows you to deepen the stretch. You can get basic straps, or a more decorative strap here.
Serious About Yoga
- Yoga Books. Yoga books are essential for the serious yoga student. Here are some suggestions, find them at your local library, or at Amazon:
- Special Yoga Wear. There are entire companies dedicated to making supportive and fashionable yoga clothing, including Lululemon, prAna, Athleta. They tend to be pricey, but some yoga students find the gear worthwhile.
- Yoga Eye Pillow. An eye pillow can help block distractions during deep relaxation poses. You can make one yourself, or check out the lovely flax and lavender ones on Etsy.